Stockholm Sweden Three Day Itinerary for First-Timers
It is difficult to determine how to best use 72 hours in Stockholm Sweden, there are so many fun things to see, do, and eat. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and an amazing city. It is classic yet modern, has great food, incredible museums, beauty everywhere, and A LOT of stairs! You will find parks, promenades, palaces, incredible museums, subway art installations, a gorgeous cobblestoned old town, canals, and the home to the Nobel Prize. This 3-day itinerary is jam-packed with must-see sites and top attractions, including, the Archipelago, City Hall, Royal Palace, Gamla Stan, Katrina Elevator, subway art, Abba Museum, and more. Continue reading for my 3-day itinerary, top things to do in Stockholm, Stockholm Instagram guide, and a guide to Stockholm’s best subway art. It is possible to travel the world with limited PTO, here’s a day-by-day guide to visiting Stockholm Sweden in 3 days. Enjoy your time out of the office!
READ Complete Sweden Travel Guide, What You Need to Know
Stockholm is an easy solo-travel city. There is an express train from the airport making transportation into the city effortless. I stayed in a single room at HTL Hotels Kungsgatan. It was a good location; walking distance from the express train, close to the T-Bana, and a food court. Everything is easily accessed by T-Bana and ferry; I purchased a 72-hour metro card. You will not need a hop-on hop-off bus. The only difficulty I had was getting to Millesgården Museum. If I were to do it again, I would take a taxi from the T-Bana and save the time it took to transfer to a bus and walk from the bus stop. Here is my three-day Stockholm travel itinerary. Fly in, check into your hotel, and don’t waste any time. If you fly in early enough head to Millesgården and check out the sculpture garden. Or, do some shopping on Drottninggatan Street and have dinner at Sergels Torg.
Day One: Södermalm, Gamla Stan & the Nobel Peace Prize
Get up early and explore the art in the T-Bana stations on your way to Södermalm. Walk along the Monteliusvägen scenic footpath with panoramic city views. Continue along the path and you wander through neighborhoods of adorable wooden houses. Make a stop at the Katrina Elevator for a view of Gamla Stan; continue walking for views of Gröna Lund. Walk away from the water to the SoFo neighborhood of Nytorget for more wooden homes or head over to tour City Hall. City Hall is the venue of the Nobel Peace Prize Banquet; the ceremony rooms are incredible. Interesting fact, the Grand Staircase was designed specifically for women to descend in their evening gowns without stumbling. Spend the rest of the day exploring Gamla Stan and a few more T-Bana stations on your way back to the hotel.
Day Two: Archipelago and the Royal Palace
Take a day cruise of the Archipelago. The archipelago is 20 minutes from Stockholm and consists of 30,000 islands. If you prefer to stay in the city take the Under the Bridges and Royal Canal Tour and continue exploring Gamla Stan. Or, tour the Royal Palace and watch the changing of the guard. Another option is a day tour to Drottningholm Palace.
Day Three: Strandvagen & Djurgården
Walk from the Opera House to Strandvagen (Stockholm’s most expensive street) and check out Kungsträdgården along the way. Spend the day in Djurgården and visit several of the museums. I chose the Abba Museum and the Vasa Museum (17th Century ship). If you have children, consider the Skansen historic village and open-air museum or Junibacken (Pipi Longstockings Museum). Head into Gröna Lund in the summer for a ride or two before taking the ferry over to Sodermalm to view Stockholm at night. Check out any remaining T-Bana stations (see below) before heading back to the hotel.
Looking for more options? Continue reading for additional things to do in Stockholm to supplement this itinerary.
Additional Things to Do in Stockholm Sweden
Have more time? Supplement this day trip itinerary with these additional things to do in Stockholm.
- Wander the cobblestoned Gamla Stan, the narrow street of Mårten Trotzigs Gränd
- Take a Fika break at Kaffekoppen in Gamla Stan Stortorget
- Climb the tower at City Hall for incredible city views
- Check out the stories of past Nobel winners at the Noble Prize Museum
- Take a free tour of the Swedish Parliament Building
- Have a cocktail with a view from the top of Kaknas TV Tower
- Photograph the Statue of Gustavus Adolphus
- Stop at a floating bar for a cocktail
- Learn about Swedish traditions at the Nordic Museum
- Taste what you are learning about at the Museum of Spirits
- Take a Stieg Larsson Millennium inspired DIY tour
- Eat a cardamom bun
- Check out the curved bookcase at the public library
- Check out the view from the Stockholm Cathedral Tower
- Tour the historical Hallwyl House
- Eat at a traditional Swedish smorgasbord
- Eat Swedish meatballs at Meatballs for the People
- Learn all about the Viking way of life at Vikingaliv
- Window shop the high-end stores in Östermalm
- Take a city kayak tour
- Ride the Skyview glass gondola on the Ericsson Globe
- Take a rooftop tour
- Eat a Viking-themed dinner at Aifur
- See the works of Picasso, Dali, and Matisse at the Modern Museet
- Spend a few hours at the Fotografiska Museum of Contemporary Photography
- Have a picnic at the Royal National City Park
- See a performance at Kulturhuset
- See Greta Garbo’s tombstone at Skogskyrkogården
- Take a Swedish sauna at Hellasgården
- Spend the day in the sun at Långholmen Beach
- Eat a traditional Swedish meal at Pelikan
- Check out the view from the Östasiatiska Museet
- Dance the night away at Trädgården
Check the Stockholm Sweden Tourism Board website for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.
Instagram Guide to Stockholm Sweden
Stockholm is a beautiful city full of gorgeous spots to photograph. Stockholm’s Gamla Stan is a well-preserved medieval old town full of colorful buildings, cobblestone passageways, cafés, bars, souvenir shops, the Royal Palace, and several museums. It is a great place to photograph as you wander. Be sure to stop for fika!
Take a walk along the Monteliusvägen scenic footpath for panoramic city views and shots of adorable wooden homes. The neighborhoods of Nytorget and Södermalmis are also full of cute little wooden homes for your Instagram grid. There is a great view of Södermalm from the Katrina Elevator and the architecture along Stockholm’s Strandvagen is very photogenic. Finally, the subway system provides endless opportunities to fill your Instagram feed, scroll down for stops. Overall, Stockholm is a great place to wander, everywhere you look is Instagram-worthy!
Stockholm Subway Art, The World’s Longest Art Exhibit
Stockholm’s Subway (Tunnelbana, T-Bana) is often referred to as the world’s longest art exhibit. The project was initiated in the late 1950s with the goal of bringing art to the community. 90 of Stockholm’s 100 stations are adorned with tiles, mosaics, paintings, and sculptures from 150 artists. Stockholm Subway Art themes are dramatic and vibrant or subtle, some depict a message, and some are just fun! A quick internet search will provide many articles describing the history behind each station.
Art walks offer free guided tours of Stockholm Subway Art throughout the year for the cost of a metro ticket. The tour guide will discuss Sweden’s public art tradition and will provide stories about the artists themselves. The T-Bana system is very easy to navigate if you prefer to DIY with a subway map. I added stops to my sightseeing schedule and was able to see most of the stations. The Blue and Red Lines have a lot of art and are worth the ride. There is a lot to see, expect to spend some time at each station. Happy exploring!
Subway Art on the Blue Line
Stpos include: Kungsträdgårdens T-bana, T-Centralen T-bana, Rådhuset T-bana, Fridhemsplan T-bana, Stadshagen T-bana, Västra Skogen T-bana, Huvudsta T-bana, Solna Strand T-bana, Sundbybergs Centrum T-bana, Duvbo T-bana, Rissne T-bana, Rinkeby T-bana, Tensta T-bana, Solna Centrum T-bana, Näckrosen T-bana, Hallonbergen T-bana, Husby T-bana, and Akalla T-bana.
Subway Art on the Red Line
Stops include: Östermalmstorg T-bana, Ropsten T-bana, Stadion T-bana, Tekniska Högskolan T-bana, Universitetet T-bana, Bergshamra T-bana, Mörby T-bana, Hornstull T-bana, Midsommarkransen T-bana, Skärholmen T-bana, Varberg T-bana, Masmo T-bana, and Alby T-bana.
Plan Your Trip to Stockholm Sweden
Sweden Travel Guide
Pick up a Sweden Travel Guide from Amazon.com to browse on the plane.
Book Your Accommodation in Stockholm Sweden Now
Spending the night? Search Booking.com and VRBO in one place to find the perfect property!
Stockholm Sweden Attractions and Day Tours
The best attractions sell out! Don’t chance it, get your tickets now and relax when you arrive.
Travel Essentials
Need a universal travel adaptor, power bank charger, or packing cubes? Save time at my Amazon shop and have travel essentials delivered to your home.
Bookmark and Pin 72 Hours in Stockholm Sweden, Things to Do
Have a great vacation!